Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



3 Sheets$heet 1. N. KING.

BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARM. 'No.177,852. Patented MayZS, 1876.

N.PE|ERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

3 Sheets-Sheet Z.

N. KING. BREECH-LO ADING FIRE-ARM.

No'.177,85 Z.

Patented. May 23,1876.

3- Sheets-Sheet 3.

N. KING.

- BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARM. No.1'77,852. Patented May 23,1876.

NFEIERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

3.. in; AL.

NELSQN KING, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE SHARPS RIFLECOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-[LOADING FIRE=AR MS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. H7?.52, dated May 23,1876; application filed March 4, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NELSON KING, of Bridgeport, in the county ofFairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements Pertaining to a Breech- Loading Fire-Arm, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, 'where Figure 1 is a side view of a part of the gun. Fig. 2 isa top or plan view, with full lines showing interior parts. Fig. 3 is aside view, with lines indicating the position of operating parts whenthe guard is thrown forward to its farthest limit of play. Fig. 4 is aview similar to Fig. 3, showing the position of parts when the guard ispartially returned to its normal position. Fig. 5 is a view similar toFigs. 3 and 4, showing the position of parts when the guard has fullyreturned to its normal position. Figs. 6,7, 8, 9, 10, ll, 12, 13, 14.and 15 are detail views of parts hereinafter referred to. Fig. 16 is atop view of the gun. Fig. 17 is a side view of thegun, breech closed,with the side of the frame broken out. Fig. 18 is a view similar to Fig.17, with breech opened. Fig. 19 is ade'tail view from the rear of theextractor.

One main feature of the invention is the self-cocking device. Another isa device for making the gun self-cocking or not, at pleasure. Anotheris.a novel construction of the breech-piece. Another is such aconstruction of the cartridge-extractor, and such a combination thereofwith the other parts, that when the breech is closed the whole jointthereabout is closed.

The improvements are shown as appliedto a Sharps rifle.

The letter a denotes the breech-piece; b, the wooden stock; c, thehammer; d, the swinging guard; c, the trigger; f, the pitman, runningfrom the guard to the vertically-sliding gate. On the same pivot-pin gis pivoted the cocking-finger h, which, when the guard is thrownforward, as shown in Fig. 3, being thereto pressed by spring 2, fallsupon the periphery of tumbler j, which is fast upon, and in one piecewith, tumbler is, ready to engage with notch Z. As the guard is swungback to as shown in Fig. 5, leaving the hammer free to be tripped by apull on the trigger. The cockinglinger is kept from falling down afterbeing thus moved from tumblerj by the shoulder a resting against acorresponding shoulder or abutment on the guard.

From this description it is seen that when the guard is thrown forwardthe hammer is not disturbed, but that the cocking ot' the hammer iseffected by the returning of the guard to its normal position.

This self-cocking arrangement may be rendered inactive by a device whichI will now describe. 0n the hammer-shaft m, or preferably, as shown inFig. 2, on an annular boss, 0, (shown in dotted lines,) on the inside ofthe button r, is hung the shipper-ring 8, having at the front a sidespur, 1., (shown in dotted lines,) underlying the cocking-finger h, andhaving at the rear ,a side spur, a, connecting with the finger-cap c,which is on the exterior, by the screw to running through the slotm. Bymeans of this finger-cap the shipping-ring s can be rotated back andforth. NVhen the fin ger-cap is pushed down, the side spur t raises thecocking-finger b, so that it cannot come in contact with tumbler j, andthereby the cooking device is rendered inactive.

So far as this shipping-ring is concerned I do not limit myself to theprecise thing shown, for there are many obvious equivalents which may bemade to engage with the cocking-tinger and raise it off the tumbler.

The cavity a, which contains the tumbler, is open. on both sides, itbeing in the solid breech-piece, and the openings are closed by thebuttons 1" 2, held in place by the screw a, running from one to theother.

Herctofore, in the gun known as Sharps,

where the breech was closed, there were various openings about thebreech, both on the in g gate 6, so that when the breech was closed thisspace was open, and rain and sand could get in. By a peculiarconstruction and combination I have attained the closing of thisvibrating-space when the gate is up and the breech is closed. Let meexplain that it is necessary that this space or mortise should extend tothe top of the gate, in order to allow the proper backward vibration ofthe extractor, as will be understood by a study'of Figs. 16, 17, 1S, and19. I have attained the closing of this mortise by so hanging theextractor that it will lie in the mortise c in the breech-piece a whenthe gate is up, and providing it with the lug 61, extending into andfilling said mortise in the gate, with its top shaped to conform to thecontour of the top of the adjacent parts.

The model deposited with the application on which this patent-issuessh'owsthe firingpin so shaped and so combined with the hammer that thehammer isor may be forced backward to the safety-notch, or, in commonparlance, t0 half-cock, by the opening or closing of the breech. As suchfeature forms the subject-matter of another and prior application ofmine, no claim is made to it in these present Letters- Patent.

I claim as my invention- 1. In combination with the hammer and trigger,the swinging guard d, the cockingfinger h, pivoted to the guard, and thetumbler-j, when these last three elements are so arranged relativelythat the .finger first partially rotates the tumbler, and then, passingon, swings free from the tumbler, substantially as described, and forthe purpose set forth.

2. In combination, guardd, fingerh, tumbler j, and shipper-ring s, allsubstantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination, the breech-piece a,provided with the mortise c, andthe vibrating extractor h, provided with the mortise-closin g lug d, allsubstantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

NELSON KING. Witnesses:

E. ROCKWELL, GEO. M. BEERS.

